Music Theory For Dummies (4th Edition)

Description

By (author) Pilhofer, Michael – Day, Holly; By (author) Pilhofer, M

Tune in to how music really works 

Whether you’re a student, a performer, or simply a fan, this book makes music theory easy, providing you with a friendly guide to the concepts, artistry, and technical mastery that underlie the production of great music. You’ll quickly become fluent in the fundamentals of knocking out beats, reading scores, and anticipating where a piece should go, giving you a deeper perspective on the works of others — and bringing an extra dimension to your own. 

Tracking to a typical college-level course, Music Theory For Dummies breaks difficult concepts down to manageable chunks and takes into account every aspect of musical production and appreciation — from the fundamentals of notes and scales to the complexities of expression and instrument tone color. It also examines the latest teaching techniques — all the more important as the study of music, now shown to provide cognitive and learning benefits for both children and adults, becomes more prevalent at all levels.

• Master major and minor scales, intervals, pitches, and clefs
• Understand basic notation, time signals, tempo, dynamics, and navigation
• Employ melodies, chords, progressions, and phrases to form music
• Compose harmonies and accompanying melodies for voice and instruments

Wherever you want to go musically — as a writer or performer, or just as someone who wants to enjoy music to its fullest — this approachable guide gives you everything you need to hear!

Table of contents

Introduction
1

About This Book 1

Foolish Assumptions 2

Icons Used in This Book 3

Beyond the Book 3

Where to Go from Here 3

Part 1: Getting Started with Music Theory 5

Chapter 1: What Is Music Theory, Anyway?
7

Unearthing Music Theory’s Beginnings 8

Putting the Spotlight on Music Theory Fundamentals 9

Understanding the foundation: Notes, rests, and beats 9

Manipulating and combining notes 9

Studying musical form and compositions 11

Seeing How Theory Can Help Your Music 11

Chapter 2: Determining What Notes Are Worth
13

Meeting the Beat 14

Recognizing Notes and Note Values 15

Examining the notes and their components 15

Looking at note values 17

Checking Out Whole (Semibreve) Notes 18

Homing in on Half (Minim) Notes 19

Considering Quarter (Crotchet) Notes 20

Examining Eighth (Quaver) Notes and Beyond 20

Extending Notes with Dots and Ties 22

Using dots to increase a note’s value 22

Adding notes together with ties 23

Mixing All the Note Values Together 23

Chapter 3: Giving It a Rest
27

Getting to Know the Rests 28

Whole (semibreve) rests 28

Half (minim) rests 29

Quarter (crotchet) rests 30

Eighth (quaver) rests and beyond 30

Extending the Break with Dotted Rests 32

Practicing Beats with Notes and Rests 32

Chapter 4: Introducing Time Signatures
35

Decoding Time Signatures and Measures 35

Keeping Things Easy with Simple Time Signatures 37

Using measures to count in simple time 38

Practicing counting beats in simple time 40

Working with Compound Time Signatures 41

Using measures to count in compound time 42

Practicing counting beats in compound time 43

Feeling the Pulse of Asymmetrical Time Signatures 44

A Short Discussion about Conducting 46

The beat 47

Phrasing, articulation, and dynamics 49

Cueing 49

Chapter 5: Playing with Beat
51

Creating Stress Patterns and Syncopation 51

Placing stress: Knowing the general rules 52

Syncopation: Hitting the off